#GPBudget2019 – all the health highlights

After receiving a whopping R46.4-billion last year – the Gauteng Health Department will be receiving R50.8-billion this year.

A massive 38% of the total budget last year, making it the first time in history that the biggest allocation did not go to education.

Gauteng Finance MEC Barbara Creecy made the announcement in her provincial Budget speech – acknowledging that health remained in dire need of increased funding. Earlier Gauteng Health MEC Gwen Ramokgopa had indicted that no additional funding was available for treating foreigners.

Paying off debt

Highlights of Creecy’s planning include R17-billion to go towards paying goods and services, and keeping promises to pay off mounting debt.

The personnel budget received R30-billion, which included R346-million to pay interns and R310-million for community health workers.

Another R148-million was set aside for the Cuban doctor programme through which medical students are trained in Cuba, known for its strong primary health services.

New offices

The Health Department was allocated R150.1-million over the medium-term in order to find suitable office space after their offices in the Bank of Lisbon building were gutted by fire last year.

An addition R300-million, made available through the office of Premier David Makhura will go towards compensating the families of Life Esidimeni patients who died after being moved out of the private healthcare facility.